The Begining
by Dixie Lee Duke
Summary: Well I don't know what y'all will think, but I just thought I needed to try and write this as close as to what I think REALLY happened in the beginning. I don't owny anybody


Chapter 1: The News

Part 1

Jesse Duke yawned as he walked to the house after being in the fields the entire day, with of course the exception of lunch. A smile lifted the corners of his mouth as he looked to the front porch seeing his wife, Martha, in her rocking chair. He also saw the equally welcoming sight of both his neice Daisy Mae sitting on her Aunt's lap and his oldest nephew Luke, who sat on the floor beside her. He didn't see his younger nephew Bo, but knew he slept in the den.

"Look you two. Here comes your Uncle Jesse." Martha told both the four-year old and three-year old.

"Did you have a good day baby?" Jesse asked Daisy as he picked her up.

She nodded making him chuckle.

He turned toward Martha as she stood up "Well I suppose I don't need to ask what's for supper do I?"

"I wish Jesse. I hate to think that someday they'll know." she said referring to the daily struggles they tried to hide from the young ones.

Jesse gave her cheek a peck "Well they've got love Martha, which is the biggest thing they need. Now come on and let's go in to eat."

She nodded, took Luke's hand and went into the house. While Martha got Bo situated, Jesse set the food out, and soon after, they sat down to eat.

Later that night Jesse walked into Luke's room to tuck him in. However, he noticed that his young nephew looked troubled. More troubled, he thought than a four-year old should be.

Luke's P.O.V.

I sat on my bed waiting for Uncle Jesse to tuck me in. While waiting thoughts of what Aunt Martha had said earlier went through my head.

I sighed sinking into my pillow _"Man I hate this. Why do I have to be the oldest? And what was Aunt Martha talking about? What will we know?" _I grumbled; this made no sense to me.

"Luke?" I heard Uncle Jesse call to me.

_ "Great now what?"_ I wondered.

Uncle Jesse sat down on the edge of his nephew's bed, a caring smile on his face.

"What's the matter Luke" he asked seeing the obvious in his eyes.

"I don't get it. What was Aunt Martha talking about? I don't wanna be the oldest. I don't wanna be in some family terrible stuff happens to," he sighed crossing his arms and staring down.

Jesse took a deep breath trying to take in what he'd just been told. He looked toward the doorway before turning back to his nephew.

"Luke." he hesitantly began laying a hand on the young boy's shoulder "Look, your Aunt didn't mean anything by what she said. She just-"

Then he thought better of it "Luke, there really isn't any way I could tell you what your Aunt meant. All I can tell you for sure is that I love you boy. I love all four of you and I'll always be there for you; you, Daisy, Bo and Jeb."

Luke only nodded and sank down into his covers.

"I love you boy." Jesse smiled giving him a peck on the foread before leaving.

Finally they were all asleep, but it did little to change the fact that both Jesse and Martha were worried about their nephew.

The night continued, not a sound could be heard except for the crickets chirping. However, this changed when around two in the morning the phone range, causing Jesse to become instantly awake. He quickly shoved back the covers and rushed to the living room, managing to answer it on the fourth ring.

"Jesse Duke here." he answered through a yawn.

"Mr. Duke, I'm sorry to tell you that your brother was killed in a hospital fire at Tri-County earlier this evening."

Jesse could only stare into space as the dial tone came on when the call ended. He swallowed, returning the phone to it's cradle.

"Jesse?"

He looked up at the sound of Martha calling to him.

"Tim's dead." he choked as the tears slowly began leaking from the corners of his eyes.

Martha silently nodded and gently laid her head on his shoulder "Tim and Lucy. . .and Jeb, Luke'll be so heart broken."

Jesse could only nod as he gently took her hand into his "Yeah, I wish I didn't have to. . .you know."

"I know." Martha agreed laying her free hand on his back to rub it between his shoulders, which he loved when she did.

After a moment Jesse sighed, brushing a hand over his face, picking up some of the drying moisture from his cheeks. He turned to look at Martha for a moment before walking over to the couch which he slumped down onto "Martha you head on back to bed. I reckon I'll be there soon."

"All right." she gave his forehead a kiss and headed back toward their room.

The next morning martha sighed and thought about the night before. She noticed that Jesse's side was empty and guessed he had fallen asleep on the couch. She got dressed and quietly went to the kitchen to start on breakfast. After she had put some biscuits in the oven she walked over to the couch where Jesse, she noticed, still slept.

"Jesse?" she whispered, reaching over to gently wake him.

"What is it Martha?" he mumbled opening his eyes. However, the fact that he still wore his nightshirt confused him for a moment when he remembered what had happened the night before. He had gotten the terrefying call that his brother Tim and his wife Lucy, along with their newborn son Jeb, were dead.

Martha watched as he stood up and slowly headed back to their room to get dressed.

After she saw the door close she turned toward the bedroom near her. When she opened the door she smiled seeing her only neice. Quietly she walked over and shook the small girl's shoulder.' "Daisy honey, time to get up." she whispered.

The small girl sat up watching as her Aunt brought a small shirt and a pair of shorts over to her. She helped Daisy into her shorts and quickly slipped her shirt on before getting back to the kitchen in time to pull the biscuits out. Also, she noticed Jesse at the table, Bo on his knee, giggling while being bounced.

Martha, of course, knew Jesse couldn't possibly be as cheery as he appeared considering the call they had recieved the night before.

"Jesse why don't you finish up breadkfast while I wake Luke up?" she suggested.

He nodded and handed her Bo before going back to his nephew's room.

Ten minutes later all five of them sat at the table, Bo in his Aunt's arms, while the others sat in chairs. They ate, then Jesse went out to the fields for the day. Martha meanwhile did some things that needed to be done, and Luke and Daisy played with Bo.

Part II

Jesse's P.O.V.

In the barn I had just finished milking the goat. I sighed, leaning back against the outer wall of the barn. Sighing, I looked toward the roof and began to think,"Why did something like this have to happen to that boy? I'll have to tell him and I really don't want to. He was so excited about his baby brother. I mean he has Bo for a cousin but it ain't the same. And I wonder what will happen to him? I reckon Martha and I will take him in."  
Then, startled, I looked up hearing my name. When I turned I saw daisy running toward me. For a moment I sat confused, but then realized that Martha must have sent her.  
"Come here baby." I whispered as she crawled onto my lap.  
"Unca Jesse. Aunt Martha says it suppertime."  
"All right Daisy, I'm coming."  
The whole way to the house I thought about what I needed for Luke to know. I figured the plan would be to bring him out after we ate in order to tell him. I only hoped things would go as I planned.

After supper Martha took Daisy and Bo to the living room. Jesse on the other hand took Luke by the hand and started toward the porch in order to talk. However, as soon as the two were settled, the sound of a phone ringing could be heard. Soon after, Martha came out, a look of confusion and slight terror on her face.  
Jesse immediately got up, laying his hands, as gently as he could, on her shoulders, "Martha, what's wrong?"  
"Jesse, It's the authorities in Atlanta! They need to talk to you. It's Jamie, Buck, and the girls."  
Jesse tried to swallow the lump forming in his throat, "Please tell me-"  
"They're dead. I don't have all the details, but they were killed on the run."  
Jesse sighed, from frustration, "Martha, I'll be back in a bit. I've to see J.D."  
Although, he had aid he was going to see his cousin, the fact still worried Martha. She rushed back to the phone, "I'm sorry, but you'll have to call him back." she said before hanging up.  
She stood a moment before,  
"Aunt Martha, where did Uncle Jesse go?"  
Looking down she saw her nephew, "Luke, honey, please go play with Bo and Daisy."  
However, Luke stayed in place, waiting for an answer.  
Martha kneeled, taking his small hands into one of hers, "Luke, honey, your Uncle will explain when he gets back. What I need you to do is look after Daisy and Bo. Think you can do that?"  
Luke nodded.  
"All right then. I love you.", Martha whispered, giving Luke a hug, before he went into the living room where Bo and Daisy were.

The four of them stayed in the living room for about an hour, before Martha put Bo to bed. After that, she sat on the couch, for just a moment before Luke and Daisy sat on either side of her.  
"I'm guessing you two want to hear a story?"  
They both nodded, Daisy, sucking her thumb, while Luke, seemed slightly out of it.

After Daisy and Luke were in bed, Martha went to the living room. She sat in her rocker and worked on a few things she needed to mend, while thinking about Jesse. She had always known him to have a good mind, but given the two recent phone calls, the thought still worried her.  
She looked up at the clock every few minutes, waiting for him to return.

Finally, after what seemed forever, Jesse came through the door. He looked toward Martha, the expression on his face slightly indistinguishable. Without a word he walked over and sat down on the couch.  
"Well, what happened?" Martha asked, wanting to know where he'd gone and what he'd done.  
Jesse sighed, a slight wince obvious on his face, "I went to see J.D."  
Martha nodded knowing that had to be an uneasy thing for him to do, despite the fact they were cousins. She laid a caring hand on his shoulder, "and?".  
"Well, you know me and J.D., we're buddies, but money never was something we agreed on."  
"Let me guess-"  
"You got it! And, how do you expect them to be able to pay anything off, the way J.D., . . .well you know!"  
Martha only nodded hoping Jesse didn't wake the kids up.  
"I just don't get it Martha.", Jesse sighed, shaking his head. He stood up and headed toward the kid's rooms.  
"Jesse, what are you doing?", she asked, obviously confused.  
Jesse turned to look at her, the look on his face saying he was serious, "Martha, if I don't tell them tonight, I don't know that I'll have the nerve to do it in the morning."  
"But Jesse, it's almost ten.", Martha protested, laying down the blanket she had been working on.  
"Martha, I have to. And, I'd like to add, that J.D. informed me their funerals will be the day after tomorrow.", and with that Jesse headed toward the bedrooms where the boys slept. Martha sighed and headed toward Daisy's room.

A few minutes later, Martha sat on the couch, Bo on her lap, Daisy and Luke sitting on either side of her. She tried to keep a straight face, hoping she wouldn't transfer her, hopefully, hidden emotions to the children.  
Jesse knelt, one knee on the floor, he, like Martha, trying to stay calm, for the children's sake. He sighed, "Come here boy.", he motioned for Luke to come.  
Luke looked up at Martha, who only nodded, afraid of what she might say, if she opened her mouth.  
Although, confused, Luke walked over to his Uncle, who, gently laid two caring hands on his nephew's shoulders.  
"Luke, do you remember what I told you about fires?", he asked his nephew, the fact being that truthfully, he had told him barely two weeks ago.  
The young boy nodded.  
Jesse sighed, knowing there was no way he could be ready. "Well, you see, someone, called me yesterday, and said your mommy, daddy, and Jeb were in one."  
"They ok, ain't they?" Luke quickly asked.  
Jesse shook his head, "No, Luke, they went to Heaven."  
Luke looked at his Uncle, for a moment, before clinging to him.  
Then Jesse, motioned for Martha, who told Daisy to move toward him. He then took the small girl's hand, "And Daisy, you like car rides don't you?" he asked nervously.  
She nodded.  
"Well, honey," but she cut him off, much to his surprise.  
"They where Luke's mommy and daddy are ain't they?" she asked.  
Jesse nodded, taking her into his embrace, also, "Yes, baby."  
The three of them stayed like this for a few minutes before Martha, handed Bo, to Jesse, who took the boys back to their rooms. Martha, meanwhile took Daisy to her room before joining Jesse in their room, where he sat on the bed, Bo in his arms.

Finally, they were all in bed, though not necessarily asleep. The night wore on, as Jesse worried over the next few days; the funeral obviously, but also how the kids would take to the idea of permanently living with both him and Martha.


End file.
